“My goal is to open a door that doesn’t exist,” says Monica Dabos poignantly. “There’s no place anywhere to socially dance without drinking. I don’t care if people drink. But if society doesn’t have options, we don’t have options.”
Monica has an artful way of speaking at once very literally and yet deeply about life themes. She is the founder of Yes Dance , a nonprofit whose goal is to provide an alcohol-free, healthy, and mainstream experience to the Santa Barbara community through Latin salsa, mambo, and other dances.
Her studio at 705 Paseo Nuevo provides weekly group and private classes, and on Tuesday evenings, enthusiasts congregate for a big dance and get together. The cover charge is kept to a minimum, and the evening starts with a beginner’s class followed by an intermediate class, culminating with open dancing until 11 p.m. In so doing, Yes Dance creates a safe and vital community that uses dance is an outlet for inclusivity and respect, regardless of age, gender, or origin.